Salvage endoscopic nasopharyngectomy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy versus conventional radiotherapy in treating locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: Although endoscopic nasopharyngectomy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) have been reported to be useful in treating isolated local recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), their efficacy needs to be revaluated with comparison to 2D conventional radiotherapy (RT).

Methods: Four hundred ten patients with recurrent NPC were retrospectively analyzed, among whom the patients underwent IMRT, endoscopic nasopharyngectomy, and 2D conventional RT.

Results: The 5-year overall survival (OS) and distant metastasis-free survival were significantly higher in endoscopic nasopharyngectomy and IMRT groups than in 2D conventional RT group both in the entire series and in the subgroup of patients with recurrent T1 to 2 NPC (p < .

A randomized trial of induction chemotherapy plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus induction chemotherapy plus radiotherapy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The aim of this randomized study was to compare the efficacy of induction chemotherapy plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy (IC+CCRT) versus induction chemotherapy plus radiotherapy (IC+RT) for patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. From August 2002 to April 2005, 408 patients were randomly divided into two groups: an IC+CCRT group and an IC+RT group. Patients in both groups received the same induction chemotherapy: two cycles of floxuridine (FuDR)+carboplatin (FuDR, 750 mg/m(2), d1-5; carboplatin, area under the curve [AUC]=6).

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy vs radiotherapy alone in stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma: phase III randomized trial.

Background: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has been shown to improve outcomes for stage III-IV nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients compared with radiotherapy (RT) alone, but the effectiveness of the combined therapy for stage II NPC patients is unknown.

Methods: Patients with Chinese 1992 stage II NPC were randomly assigned to receive either RT alone (n = 114) or CCRT (n = 116). The CCRT patients were given concurrent cisplatin (30 mg/m(2) on day 1) weekly during RT.

Polymorphisms in the endothelin-1 and endothelin a receptor genes and survival in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the prognostic role of endothelin-1 (EDN1) and endothelin A receptor (EDNRA) gene polymorphisms in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Experimental Design: Two hundred three consecutive patients with locoregionally advanced NPC were enrolled. Seven potentially functional polymorphisms in the EDN1 and EDNRA genes were determined by ligase detection reaction-PCR method from prospectively collected blood samples.

Induction-concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background And Objective: Induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy are the most two effective treatments for patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study was to compare the efficacy of induction-concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy for patients with locoregionally advanced NPC.

Methods: From August 2002 to April 2005, 408 patients were randomly divided into the induction-concurrent chemoradiotherapy (IC/CCRT) group and the induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy (IC/RT) group.

Prognostic implication of pretreatment titer of serum immunoglobulin A against Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients in Sihui, Guangdong.

Background And Objective: Currently, the serum immunoglobulin A against Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen (EBV-VCA/IgA) is one of the most commonly used markers for diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, its value for prognostic implication in NPC patients is unclear. This study was to evaluate the relationship between pretreatment titers of EBV-VCA/IgA and NPC patients' survival.

Endoscopic microwave coagulation therapy for early recurrent T1 nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The result of reirradiation in recurrent T1 (rT1) nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is unsatisfactory. We sought to study the efficacy and complications of endoscopic microwave coagulation therapy (MCT) in salvaging rT1 NPC after primary radiotherapy. Between August 1994 and April 2005, 55 patients with rT1 NPC were treated with endoscopic MCT.

[Endoscopic microwave coagulation therapy for locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

Background & Objective: Management of locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is difficult. External beam re-irradiation could cure some patients but might cause severe radiation injury. This study was to evaluate the clinical value of endoscopic microwave coagulation therapy as salvage treatment for locally recurrent NPC.

Elevated plasma big ET-1 is associated with distant failure in patients with advanced-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoactive peptide and a hypoxia-inducible angiogenic growth factor associated with the development and spread of solid tumors. The clinical significance of plasma big ET-1 in patients with advanced-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is not known.

Methods: Pretreatment plasma big ET-1 levels were measured in 62 patients with advanced-stage NPC using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassay and compared with the levels from a control group (n = 19 participants).

[Analysis of oral mucositis risk factors during radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients and establishment of a discriminant model].

Background & Objective: Oral mucositis caused by radiotherapy is the most familiar complication of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and it has strong impact on the patients. This study was to screen high risk factors of oral mucositis, and establish a mathematical model for forecasting its incidence probability in NPC patients.

Methods: Clinical and experimental factors of 102 NPC patients with oral mucositis were analyzed by univariate analysis, multifactorial Logistic regression, and discriminant analysis.

[Impact of pre-radiotherapy hemoglobin level on local control of nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

Background & Objective: Oxygen increases tumor sensitivity to radiotherapy; tumor hypoxia is more prevalent in tumor patients with pretreatment hemoglobin concentration of < 130 g/L. This study was to evaluate impact of pre-radiotherapy hemoglobin level on radiotherapy outcome of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients.

Methods: Clinical and follow-up data of 166 NPC patients received definitive radiotherapy from 1999 to 2000 were reviewed.

[Diagnosis and treatment on osteoradionecrosis of skull base after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the diagnosis and management on osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of skull base in the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy.

Methods: All patients (n = 15) diagnosed as NPC and ORN of skull base were studied on the clinical data, diagnosis and therapy.

Results: All the patients were found with foul odor, headache, bleeding and exposed necrotic bone.

[Phase I clinical trial evaluation of capecitabine in concurrent combination of radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

Background & Objective: Capecitabine is an oral fluoropyrimidine, which is converted to fluorouracil (5-FU) by exploiting the comparatively higher activity of thymidine phosphorylase (TP) in tumor tissue. This study was designed to measure the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of capecitabine in the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Methods: Medical records of 36 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with radiation and capecitabine were reviewed.